Minecraft Stays Paid: 'Best Deal in the World'

In an era where many live service games have transitioned to a free-to-play model, Minecraft remains steadfastly a premium experience. In a recent interview with IGN, Mojang's developer team expressed their commitment to the established "buy and own the game" approach, even 16 years after its initial release. So, don't hold your breath for Minecraft to become free-to-play anytime soon.

“Yeah, it doesn't really work with the way we built it," explained Ingela Garneij, executive producer of Minecraft Vanilla. "We built the game for a different purpose. So, monetization doesn't work in that way for us. It's a purchase of the game and then that's it. For us, it's important that our game is available for as many people as possible. And so, I think that's a very core value that it should be accessible for everyone. It's the best deal in the world.”

As the gaming industry has evolved, numerous titles have shifted to a free-to-download format, often incorporating battle passes and cosmetic packs, yielding varied outcomes. Examples include Overwatch 2’s transition to free-to-play, Destiny 2, and Minecraft’s Microsoft counterpart, Halo Infinite, at least in its multiplayer aspect.

Despite the industry's push towards new monetization strategies to ensure sustainability, Mojang seems unaffected by these pressures. “No, no. What's important for us is that many people can enjoy it still, and that's going strong still,” Garneij affirmed.

Agnes Larsson, game director of Minecraft Vanilla, further elaborated on this stance: "For me, it’s part of the important values of Minecraft. I think it's become such an integral part of what Minecraft is and its culture and values, and I think we all here can agree on that. It's a fundamental aspect of the game and contributes to its strength. It has strong values."

Minecraft Vibrant Visuals Comparison Screenshots

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Minecraft will continue to evolve, introducing new features without requiring additional payments from its players. This is demonstrated by the upcoming Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul, set to arrive free of charge in the coming months. With no plans for a Minecraft 2 in sight, there's no need to repurchase the best-selling game of all time anytime soon—unless you want to enjoy it on another of the myriad devices it's available on today.

For more details on upcoming updates, check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.